Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Speed Option out of Shotgun Trey Open is a pure option run play with the QB reading the edge defender on the backside. The diagram shows the QB and HB working in tandem to the offense's left, with the HB (yellow arrow) staying attached to the QB (red arrow) as the pitch man while the offensive line down blocks to seal the point of attack. This is a run play built for edge speed and outside contain, not a pass concept, and the primary read is the QB reading the unblocked defensive end or OLB to decide whether to keep or pitch.
Defensive Reads
Watch for the play side DE or OLB crashing hard immediately after the snap, which signals a scrape exchange or contain call designed to stop the option. If the defense shows a 4-3 with an overhang defender sitting outside the tackle, expect him to be the read man, so be ready to pitch quickly before he squeezes the mesh point. Man coverage on the backside with no extra run support usually means this play hits well since defenders are locked in coverage and not filling run gaps. A stacked box with an extra linebacker crashing downhill or a blitz off the edge can blow this up before the mesh point develops, so check pre-snap for overloaded fronts. User-controlled defenders spying the QB or shadowing the option mesh point are the biggest threat, since a good user read can force a turnover or loss if the QB hesitates.
Usage Tips
Attack defenses that show light boxes or overpursuing linebackers since the speed option punishes teams that crash down on the mesh point.
Pre-snap, check the alignment of the play side end or OLB. If he is sitting wide and squeezing hard, plan on the pitch. If he is upfield and not honoring the QB, keep it yourself.
Use the LT (or hold the strafe button if using manual pitch control) to time the pitch so the defender cannot play both the QB and HB at once.
Run this on early downs (1st and 2nd) to keep defenses honest and set up Inside Zone or HB Off Tackle later in the drive from the same Trey Open look.
Pair with Read Option and Power Read in your play-calling sequence so defenses cannot key on option action alone, forcing user linebackers to respect multiple option reads from the same formation.
